Stand my Ground
by nlblake
Summary: There are things one cannot run from, no matter how fast one is and reality is one of them.
1. Chapter 1

disclaimer: not mine Since this is my first fanfiction for this fandom, comments would be very appreciated. Warnings: none of yet 

**Stand my Ground**

**Chapter 1**

It started exactly two weeks before the Semi finals of the Christmas Bowl. His shoulders, his chest and his abdomen were covered in blue and black bruises. It confused him a bit, because the only time he had had that kind of bruises had been the last time he had met Shin on the football field. He shrugged it off; perhaps he had gotten too used to the pain of tackles and hadn't realized how hard he'd been hit.

It was kind of ironic that it was the slave driver of a demon they called captain who first noticed that something wasn't quite right with their running back ace. He'd simply ordered the younger boy to go home and get some fucking rest, because Sena had actually been out of breath after his usual warm-up.

He had been obedient, as always, because what sane person would actually disobey Hiruma, but even though he slept more and more hours per day he could feel his energy levels dropping lower and lower. He had no trouble sleeping twelve hours through and yet, when he woke up he felt as exhausted as when he fell asleep.

It was no small wonder that he managed to play well in the semi finals, yet he felt his body tremble with exhaustion. After the game he was the last one to change, the others had already left and taken Mamori with them.

Sena tiredly took off his shirt and protective gear, then paused and laid down on the wooden bench. He was tired to the bone and literally didn't have the energy to take off the rest of his clothes. His hands were shaking and he felt his eyes closing of their own accord.

It had been will power alone that had allowed him to run as fast as he had today and he knew it. _Why? Why am I so exhausted? What's happening to me?_ As much as he wanted some answers, he was afraid to do anything about obtaining them.

"Oy, pipsqueak, planning on hibernating here? Get a fucking move on or I'll do it for you!" came the sharp command from the door.

So, Hiruma had come back for him. Forcing his loudly protesting body to move into a sitting position, Sena opened his eyes, trying to ignore the sudden dizziness he felt.

"Pipsqueak, going for a new look? Nice blend of black, blue, violet and green on your chest, but they don't suit you too much. Want to finally tell me what the fuck is going on?"

_Why is his voice getting softer? _Large amber eyes tried unsuccessfully to bring the blonde teen back into focus. He felt something wet running down his face, dripping down his chin and staining the floor. The dizziness grew so much that Sena actually felt sick. _What's happening to me?_

Desperately he gripped the wooden bench, afraid he would fall off any moment, fervently wanting the world to stop spinning.

"Hey! Are you even listening to me you…?" Hiruma broke his tirade off as he finally looked at his running back. The younger boy was deathly pale, his hands gripping the bench so hard they were white and when he lifted his head Hiruma actually gasped. There was blood running out of Sena's nose and not just a bit of blood at that.

In a flash Hiruma was kneeling next to the younger boy, guiding him to lie down on the bench and pressing a handkerchief to his nose.

"Don't you dare lose your consciousness, pipsqueak, don't you fucking dare. Come on, speak to me, Sena!"

It took another ten minutes for the bleeding to stop and an additional fifteen till the dizziness receded and Sena could sit up again. He looked at the handkerchief, now a deep red, dyed by his blood. This he couldn't just shrug off like the bruises or the exhaustion, this was serious.

"You wanna tell me what the fuck that was, pipsqueak?" Hiruma's voice pulled him out of his frightening thoughts. There was a note in the captain's voice that Sena had never heard before and it caused him to answer quickly, despite the cold dread that was starting to spread through his body, causing him to shiver.

"I-I-I d-d-don't know."

"Humph, hurry up and change, we've got other places to be." When Sena didn't react fast enough it was followed by a sharply bellowed: "NOW, pipsqueak!"

To Sena's surprise the captain didn't drag him off to torture him for not being in top condition during the Christmas Bowl, but into a hospital, where they skipped the waiting line and were led into the doctor's office at once. One look at Hiruma's evil grin and the doctor's forced smile convinced Sena that he didn't want to know. He wasn't surprised in the least that Hiruma had blackmail on the doctor; the blonde devil had blackmail on practically everyone.

At least the older boy had the grace to leave them alone while the doctor asked some questions and took blood samples. When the doctor told Sena to make an appointment for the day after tomorrow, the cold dread that had receded slightly during the hurried walk to the hospital came back with a vengeance. Doctors generally didn't ask for their patients to come back just for the fun of it, especially not if that entailed the danger of meeting Hiruma again.

"I'll be back. Arigato gozaimasu, sensei."

"Well, seems like it'll be Oujou vs. Deimon after all. At least you'll get your chance for a match against Eyeshield 21, ne Shin?" Sakuraba said lightly, his hands linked behind his neck, a teasing smile on his lips.

When he didn't get an answer, he looked at his other companion in confusion. Even though Shin wasn't exactly talkative, he had been oddly silent ever since the start of Deimon's game. Takami looked just as lost as he felt though, so he decided to get to the ground of the problem.

"Alright, Shin. Want to tell us what has got you so silent? I honestly thought you'd be pleased to play against Deimon." the former idol asked, concern for his friend shining in warm brown eyes.

Shin continued in his silent walk, his eyes and face as expressionless as always. Just as Sakuraba opened his mouth to ask another question, Shin stated: "He was slower than usual."

"Huh?"

"Eyeshield 21, his speed was irregular during the match; it looked like he had to make a great effort to maintain even his usual speed and after every Devil Bat Ghost his whole frame trembled." A faint frown showed exactly how displeased Shin was by the mere idea.

Sakuraba thought back to the match. Sure, Deimon's number 21 had seemed a bit tired at the end of the game, but he hadn't thought anything about it. Not that he doubted Shin's observational skills on the football field, during Deimon's games his whole focus rested solely on the slender frame of the small running back ace called Eyeshield 21.

"Anyone can have a bad day, Shin. I'm sure he'll be in top condition when we play them next week." he tried to cheer his friend up.

Shin nodded at his friend, but couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't quite right with his rival. He didn't want anything to interfere with their match.

On Tuesday Sena had his second appointment at the hospital, this time he went without his psychotic team captain in tow.

On Wednesday said captain cornered the pale boy after training in the locker room.

The other team members had only needed one glance at Hiruma's face and taken his friendly advice to vacate the club house to heart and changed as quickly as they could. It was never a good sign when Hiruma looked frustrated or impatient. When he was both it was time to start running for the hills.

"So, chibi, what was the doctor's fucking prescription? More meat to eat, more milk to drink?"

Sena turned his back on his captain, his hands clenched into tight fists.

Hiruma didn't like being ignored and he liked the mounting worry inside him even less.

"No, he prescribed three months of chemo therapy, starting next week." the younger boy's harsh whisper didn't cover the underlying fear.

When the boy's small trembling grew into outright shivering the blonde quarterback did something he had never done before, he went to the brunette and embraced him strongly. Ignoring the desperate tears that were soaking his shirt, he said: "You've got to have the fucking worst timing possible, chibi. Don't you have to start as soon as possible with shit like that?"

"I'll start the day after the game. I'm not deserting you!"

Looking into the tear brimmed, but determined amber eyes that were directed at him, Hiruma nodded his assent, but added warningly: "If you drop your speed or are tackled too many times I'll take you off the field and you're playing bench warmer. You aren't the only fucking player on the team."

**TBC**


	2. Chapter 2

disclaimer: not mine

feedback would be greatly appreciated

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 2**

It was Sunday, the day their dreams would come true and they would play in the Christmas Bow final. Every last one of them had fought with his all to get here and they were determined to win once more.

Sena looked at the excited faces of his team mates and felt fear creep into his heart. They looked so determined to win, had worked so hard to make this final dream come true in the last training sessions, sessions Sena wasn't allowed to participate in, and he wasn't sure if he would be able to play his best.

He had wanted to play against Oujou, against Shin, more than anyone else in the team, and now his body, the body he had always been able to rely on to aide him in his running, had become a liability, something he couldn't count on for sure.

Sena **felt **alright, the additional three days of absolute rest ("If you even think of walking faster than a turtle, I'll shoot you and spare us all some misery, got that, chibi?") had done wonders. But all it took to tell him that it was simply an illusion of health was one look at his arms that were adorned with ugly bruises courtesy of their last game.

He was startled out of his increasingly dark thoughts when a hand fell on his shoulder and the menacing voice of his infamous quarterback sounded right next to his ear: "Don't fucking think so much. There's a game to be won."

Amber eyes huge, Sena watched speechlessly as Hiruma walked by him and followed the others. Hands clenching into fists, Sena felt new determination race through him. Hiruma and Kurita had been working towards this goal for so long and so hard, never giving up, not even when they didn't even have a team to compete in the first place. He would fight as hard and as long as his body allowed him to, simple as that. As long as he did all he possibly could do, there would be no regret to be felt later.

This could very well be the last game he would ever play. He didn't want to regret anything later.

* * *

The atmosphere on the field was indescribable. The crowd's cheering was breaking over the players like an ocean, wave after wave after wave.

When Sena's gaze fell on his rival, the last bit of fear in his heart was replaced by excitement. With fire in his eyes to equal that of his team mates and adrenaline pumping through his veins, Sena took his position on the field.

* * *

It was the final quarter, when Sena began to doubt his ability to see the game through. Whereas Shin had only been able to stop him one of three times in the first and second quarter, exhaustion had forced Sena to continually drop his speed in the third quarter and he'd been tackled every second time he made a run.

The look he'd gotten from Hiruma after that last tackle, when it had taken him a few minutes to gather enough energy to even stand up again, had been a clear warning. Any more obvious signs of his body's faltering and Hiruma would make true of his threat and order him off the field to play bench warmer.

Breathing hard, he waited for Hiruma to decide on the next move.

"Alright, we'll give the fucking shrimp a little time to catch his breath. Monkey! Time to do the only thing you can do. Don't fuck up." The manic glint in Hiruma's eyes was warning enough of the repercussions should Monta fail to catch the ball.

"Eyeshield 21, you keep your position as rearguard."

Sena bit his lip to try and keep his frustration at his own weakness inside. Just as he had feared he was becoming a liability for his team. They were leading by two touchdowns, if they could get but two more there was a real chance Oujou wouldn't be able to catch up to them. _Just two more touchdowns, just two._

* * *

A deep frown on his face, Shin glared at the short figure of his chosen rival, Eyeshield 21. At the beginning of the game their match had been just as exhilarating as he'd expected, however he hadn't failed to notice the big bruises on his opponent's arms, nor how his speed had dropped continually, nor how it took him longer and longer to get back on his feet after a tackle.

And now it seemed like Hiruma had decided to lay Eyeshield 21 on ice, letting him play rearguard.

Shin didn't like the uncomfortable feeling that action created in him, the best way to describe it would be as not pleased. No, Shin was not pleased at all with the sudden decline of his rival's ability.

* * *

Monta did manage to catch the ball and they gained ten more yards. Before Hiruma could call them into the huddle, Sena approached him and quietly said: "Hiruma-san, give me one more chance, please. If I don't make it in this run you can order me off field, but, please, let me run one more time."

Hiruma looked seriously into the younger boy's determined eyes, that couldn't quite hide his exhaustion and frowned.

Just as he wanted to decline, Sena added: "The others don't stand a chance against Shin and you know it. You'll have to replace me soon anyway, it won't hurt to let me try once more, at least I have a **chance **to get through."

Hiruma smiled viciously and called the others into the huddle.

"Eyeshield 21 will run this time, so make sure to fucking crush your opponents, got that?"

* * *

Shin's eyes glowed when he realized that this time his rival would make a run. Eyeshield 21's speed was at his peek and the anticipation level in Shin rose. Would he be able to stop the shorter boy this time?

Moving fast as lightning to intercept his opponent, Shin started his own attack, ignoring the signals his eyes sent him, fully concentrating on where he could **feel **his rival would move to.

* * *

Sena gave this last run all he had, mobilizing every last shred of energy he still possessed, to make it past his greatest rival.

He ignored the burning in his muscles and lungs, the slight tremors wrecking his frame and the bone deep ache that permeated his whole body and concentrated solely on the run, the way his feet fairly flew over the field, the determined glint in Shin's eyes and the rush of air, as he sped by him.

It was only a couple more steps before he would be in the end zone, when a great force crushed into him from behind. His vision was already starting to get hazy because of the pain, but he ignored it all and dove for his goal. _It's just another inch or two, I can make it. I **will **make it._

* * *

At the referee's whistle, Shin stood up and looked at the small figure beneath him with new respect. Although he had been able to tackle Eyeshield 21, the boy had still been able to score a touchdown.

After a few minutes his rival finally moved again, rolling onto his back and staring into the sky.

Staring down at his rival Shin noticed that the boy's breathing was irregular and sounded painful. Narrowing his eyes, he finally motioned for the infamous quarterback of Deimon to come over.

* * *

The first thing that registered in Sena's brain, other than overwhelming pain, was the deep blue of the sky. Feeling dizzy and sick he decided to just keep lying there.

He was only dimly aware of hands propping him up and muffled voices around him. Suddenly the sky was replaced with the pointed face of his quarterback and Sena asked weakly: "Did, did I make it?"

"Damn sure you did, fucking chibi. It's time for the bench."

Closing his eyes, Sena smiled tiredly and mumbled: "That's nice."

Then he fell into the darkness that was calling to him with a siren's song.

* * *

Shin watched as the blonde quarterback propped his team mate up, only reacting when the small figure grew limp, clearly losing conscience. His tackle hadn't been hard enough to make anyone lose consciousness.

When the Deimon's quarterback called for a stretcher and an ambulance, he couldn't keep his eyebrows from rising in confusion. A look at Sakuraba, his usual source of information when encountering something outside of football, showed him that the blond didn't have an answer this time, either.

The paramedics took off the young boy's helmet, trying to wake him. After a short discussion with the quarterback they carried him off the field, obviously in a great hurry to get their patient to the ambulance.

The last Shin saw of his rival was a snow white face, two dark red tracks flowing freely down from nose to chin.

* * *

**TBC**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: **not mine

**Warnings: **serious illness, AU, possible male/male pairing in the future, possible OOC, unbeta-ed version

* * *

**Chapter 3**

Six months after their loss at the Christmas Bowl, the White Knights were playing the first game of the new season. Their opponent was a small no name team and Sakuraba winced every time Shin felled another player.

It didn't surprise anyone when the game had to be broken off because of the high number of casualties. What did come as a surprise was Shin's short comment: „Good, then I'll have enough time to watch Deimon's first match. "

As Shin vanished, leaving behind a small cloud of dust, Sakuraba looked worriedly after him. In moments like this he dearly wished Takami was still a student at Oujou. Now everyone else always looked at the blond receiver when they wanted a Shin-translation.

* * *

Shin arrived during the game's last quarter, exactly like he had estimated at the beginning of his own game. Dark blue eyes roved over the playing field, mercilessly dissecting and analizing the players. Only then did he turn to look at the score board. Surprise and alarm raced through him when he realized that Deimon was losing.

He had known that the team would be considerably weakened by the loss of its quarterback, finest lineman and shooter, but they hadn't scored a single point, yet. No team with a running back ace that could outrun Shin could ever lose to null. It was simply impossible.

Then again, Shin had yet to see hide or hair of his only rival. There wasn't a single player with the number 21 in Deimon's red uniform, not even among the bench men.

While Shin recognized the receiver and four of the linemen, both because of their movements and their back numbers, the other players were all new to him.

Shin didn't like the tight feeling in his chest area when he didn't find the familiar presence of Eyeshield 21 among the Deimon Devil Bats. It was the same kind of sensation he had felt when the tiny running back had been carried off the field during their last confrontation.

Well, he would wait till the game had ended and then ask the receiver about Eyeshield 21's whereabouts. Nearly every time Shin had met him, his rival had been accompanied by the monkey like receiver. Sakuraba and Takami told him that pointed at the two being not only teammates, but friends, too.

* * *

"So, they lost?" Sena asked with a voice weakened by continuous fatigue and underlying pain. Hiruma hated that voice, particularly when it was coupled with the brunette's tiny form clad in pjs that looked three numbers too big for him and huge, tired amber eyes in an emaciated, pale face.

"What did you expect, pipsqueak?" he replied in his usual brusque tone. "Their new quarterback is barely passable, they lack a huge as a mountain lineman and their new shooter is worse than the monkey. It would have taken a fucking miracle for them to make even one touchdown."

Hiruma didn't mention that Deimon's ace was currently (or still) residing in a hospital bed looking like death warmed over twice; too weak to even walk down the floor without help.

Sena closed his eyes and sighed. "Are the newbies really that bad?"

"Humph, if they don't do a fucking death march they won't even manage to qualify for the Christmas Bowl. And even then they wouldn't be able to beat Oujou."

The brunette smiled at the mention of his rival's team. "They had a game today, too, didn't they?"

"Yes and that fucking rival of yours incapacitated his opponents so quickly and thoroughly that they had to break it off after the third quarter. It was a fucking massacre."

"I would really like to see Shin play against a worthy opponent." Sena mumbled half asleep.

"Yes, yes, enough about your obsession. If he's playing against someone noteworthy I'll fucking take you to the game myself. Now sleep and get better, already!"

It didn't take long for the small former running back to fall asleep, his breath evening out, though still sounding far too flat for Hiruma's liking.

In a rare gesture of affection, the blond demon ran a hand over Sena's military short hair. The brunette's hair hadn't even started growing back when he had had to start the second round of chemotherapy.

Hiruma really hoped the second round had helped, because he honestly didn't think Sena's body could take a third. To keep his little friend from stressing out, Hiruma saw to it that Sena's wishes were followed to a T. When Mamori's visits had left him in tears and feeling guilty, Hiruma had arranged for the girl's father to get transferred to a brother-firm abroad. When the constant visits of his teammates had tired him out faster, Hiruma had convinced them that one visit a week was a better way to show their concern and support.

Trying to think of ways to keep Oujou's Shin from finding out about Sena's condition, Hiruma didn't notice the familiar form of a white haired, green eyed second year at the reception desk.

* * *

Riku frowned unhappily when it took the nurse at the reception what seemed like a lifetime to find out where Kobayakawa Sena stayed.

It had taken six months, many fruitless visits to Deimon and Sena's house and one excruciatingly long phone call with Mamori-san to get the information of Sena's whereabouts.

Riku was worried for his long time friend. He still didn't know why Sena had to stay in hospital, Mamori had been very vague and finally hung up on him when he insisted. If there was nothing seriously wrong with Sena, then why going to all this pain to keep his condition a secret?

No, Riku couldn't keep his worry from mounting to unbelievable heights, or his heart from clenching in bad premonition.

"It's Kobayakawa Sena. Are you stupid or just incompetent?" he finally grumbled at the flustered nurse.

"He stays in 356 on the 6th floor."

"Thanks."

Since the elevator was currently up all the way to the roof, Riku decided to take the stairs. Running up the six floors, taking two steps with one step, Riku arrived on the 6th floor mere minutes later.

Looking at the doors' numbers he searched for 356. When he finally found it, a nurse came out of the room.

"Are you here to visit Sena-chan?" she asked him in a quiet, sweet voice.

"Yes."

"I'm sorry, but he's asleep at the moment and he really needs his rest. However, if you promise to keep quiet you may stay till the end of visiting hours, perhaps you're lucky and he'll wake up."

Riku nodded his thanks and entered the room, his heart beating wildly in his chest. When he took sight of his friend for the first time in six months, Seibu's white haired running back couldn't suppress a horrified gasp.

* * *

"I'm sorry, Shin-san, but Sena won't be playing for a while yet. He's got private problems, but he'll come back as soon as he can. That's why he's still on our team list." Monta answered Shin's inquiry.

Shin bowed his thanks and left with an unhappy frown on his face. The tight feeling in his chest wasn't diminished in the least. He didn't like it when something distracted him from football and that feeling was very distracting indeed.

* * *

**TBC**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: **not mine

**Warnings:** see chapter 1-3

* * *

**Chapter 4**

For a second the world stilled around him, his breath froze in his lungs and his heart ached fiercely, then Riku walked over to the pale, dead looking figure that was practically dwarfed by the hospital bed. Only the slow rising and sinking of the sleeping boy's chest indicated that his friend was, indeed, alive.

The white haired running back sat down on a chair next to Sena's bed, shell shocked, and took in all the physical changed his friend had undergone since he had last seen him.

There was barely a fuzz of brown hair visible and Sena's emaciated face was paler than white, the dark bruises under closed eyes the only touch of colour.

Riku didn't know what exactly he had thought to find when he finally tracked Sena's location down, but it certainly hadn't been that. A broken bone perhaps, something that took time to heal but wasn't too serious.

Judging by his friend's looks, Sena's condition was nothing but serious.

Riku frowned as a thought occurred to him. Had Sena been hospitalized ever since his last game against Oujou? If so, why hadn't Sena told anyone? Surely it got boring, lying in bed all day with only nurses and doctors around and nothing to do for fun.

It took some time till Riku could break his gaze away from Sena's face, his eyes taking in the rest of the room. There were books and posters, making the room look strangely personal, like it was Sena's room and not only a temporarily assigned hospital room. He didn't think that just anyone was allowed to decorate their room to their personal tastes, which indicated that Sena had indeed been here for a long time already.

It was then that he noticed the IV in Sena's arm. Again his breath froze in his lungs and Riku felt faint with shock. People didn't need IV unless things became really serious or the patient had an eating disorder, which despite Sena's wasted appearance he strongly doubted.

Seeing his friend so ill and helpless was plain weird. It refused to make sense to Riku. Sena had grown so much in the last year, becoming stronger both physically and mentally. What had happened to reduce him to a sickly looking child again?

Questions chasing each other in his otherwise numbed mind, Riku just sat there and stared at Sena's sleeping face. He didn't notice that hours had passed since he first entered the room till a nurse came in and informed him cheerfully that visiting hours were over.

Sena hadn't woken up. After one last look at his friends face, Riku stood up and left. He would come back tomorrow.

* * *

"So, how did your visit to Deimon go?" Sakuraba asked Shin lightly during their daily evening training in the gym. The dark haired teen had glared non-stop since his return and Sakuraba was very, very glad that Shin had decided to visit Deimon **after **their football practice and not before.

"I don't know." was the curt reply, but Sakuraba had become better at interpreting Shin-speak and the fact that he verbalised his answer coupled with increased glowering told the blond that his friend had once again experienced something that didn't have anything to do with football and was therefore confusing to Shin.

"Did you meet Sena?" Eyeshield 21's real identity had become public knowledge after Deimon's victory last year.

"No, I was told he is absent and unlikely to return any time soon for personal reasons." confusion was now evident in Shin's voice and his violet eyes had narrowed even further.

Surprised at the info Sakuraba rubbed the back of his head. "That's strange, he was really into football."

Taking a closer look at Shin's face, Sakuraba finally figured out why the other boy was confused. Now, how to get Shin to figure it out, too?

"Are you more displeased about not meeting Eyeshield 21 as an opponent again or about the fact that you didn't get to see Sena?" the former idol asked seriously.

Shin frowned, considering both scenarios in his mind and dissecting his reactions to them. "It would have been great to play against Eyeshield 21 again, but I dislike the fact that I did not see Sena today more, it made me feel decidedly weird."

Sakuraba refrained from sighing and broached the subject again: "Describe "weird". Have you ever felt like that before?"

Once again Shin took his time, replaying every time he had felt an unusual, unnamed emotion before. "At the Christmas Bowl final against Deimon, after Eyeshield 21's last touchdown, I didn't like the feeling then either."

"Shin, my friend, one of these days you really should learn more about the world outside the football field." the blond groaned. "That "weird" feeling you had? You are worried about Sena, I guess. It's only natural after he got carried off by an ambulance the last time you saw him."

"How do I get over this "worry"? It is distracting during practice and makes me irritable." Shin inquired earnestly.

"Well, if you knew how he's doing you would have no reason to be worried, I think. You could always ask that blond devil quarterback at Deimon. That guy seriously knows **everything**."

* * *

"I'm sorry, but Sena-kun is not up to having any visitors today, I'm afraid." the nurse explained to an irritated Riku.

"What do you mean, he isn't up to it?" the white haired running back demanded to know.

"Sena-kun had a bad night and an even worse day, he is simply too exhausted now to be further disturbed." the concern in the young boy's green eyes mellowed her response quite a bit.

"Do you think I'll be able to see him tomorrow then?"

Before the nurse could answer another voice broke in: "Hey, you! What the hell do you think you are doing here, chibi ancient?"

Turning around Riku coolly met the furious black eyes of Deimon's former quarterback, also known and feared as the blond devil.

"Trying to check up on a friend, why? What are **you **doing here?" Riku replied defiantly.

The former quarterback smiled widely at that, took a hold of Riku's shirt and dragged him off into the solitary stairwell.

"Since **I **have been here for the last fucking six months, I don't think you have the right to question my presence. So, do tell me how Seibu's famous running back found his way to this hospital and who I am going to shoot tonight." Hiruma pointed the barrel of a gun nonchalantly at Riku's head.

"Oh, cut the crap. I've tried to find Sena ever since his last game and had to make a call overseas to Mamori to finally get anywhere. The distance did not make her shrieking voice any less annoying. What's wrong with Sena?"

Hiruma lowered the gun and glowered at the smaller boy. "Since you'd find out sooner or later, I'll tell you, but breathe a word of this to anyone else and you'll never breathe again, got it?"

Riku nodded quickly.

* * *

**TBC**


End file.
